This invention relates generally to the art of guards, or bumpers for protecting outer surfaces of motor vehicles from contact with hard objects, such as doors of other vehicles. In particular, this invention relates to portable guards which are mounted on exterior surfaces of cars by magnets.
U.S. patents which disclose prior-art vehicle body protector bumpers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,614 to Myers et al, 4,871,205 to Bray, 4,708,380 to Cruz, 4,294,478 to Marquette, 4,498,697 to McGlone, and 4,690,446 to Warren. All of these patents disclose vehicle body protectors and most of these protectors include magnets for holding them to outer surfaces of vehicles. However, most of the devices of these patents appear to be rather complicated and expensive to construct. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an effective portable vehicle door guard which can be constructed relatively easily and inexpensively so that it can be sold relatively cheaply.
Yet another difficulty with many of the devices of the above mentioned U.S. patents is that even though they are constructed in relatively complicated manners, they are still relatively awkward to extend for use and to fold up into neat bundles when not in use. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a portable vehicle door guard which not only is easy and inexpensive to construct but yet which is easy to extend and use while also being easy to fold up into a neat bundle and which stays in this bundle configuration.
Yet another difficulty with some of the devices of the above mentioned patents is that edges of magnets thereof can easily gouge or otherwise scratch outer surfaces of vehicle bodies which they are intended to protect. Therefore, it is yet another object of this invention to provide a portable vehicle guard held onto outer surfaces of vehicle bodies which cannot easily gouge or otherwise scratch said surfaces.
Yet another problem for some of the devices of the above mentioned U.S. patents is that they cannot be easily used on vehicles having vertically-extending protrusions at edges of doors because these protrusions hold them away from outer surfaces of vehicles having such protrusions, thereby preventing good magnetic contact. Accordingly, it is yet another object of this invention to provide a portable vehicle door guard which accommodates protrusions on bodies of vehicles so that such protrusions do not prevent contact of magnets thereof with outer surfaces of such vehicles.